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Should such a situation arise that players should face one another (or NPCs built according to the rules for the playable "races") in The One Ring rpg, how would combat work? (Whose stance prevails, for example?)

Later edit: Okay, maybe the question above focuses too much on PvP. In fact I should've worded it to ask how combat is handled when two characters built with the rules for building PCs engage. (For example, a group of grim Beornings force a team of Dwarves into a fight? This may very well happen with or without the Shadow on both/either side, imo.) Anyone has a better idea for wording the actual question (to cover this), suggest it in a comment, please. (Or be bold and edit it. I reserve the right to roll back, though. ;))

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  • \$\begingroup\$ This is going to seem harsh, but physical player-vs-player combat should never occur in The One Ring. If it does of the players' accord, something's broken down in a horrible way, and if the players are fighting via coercion they should probably decide it through narrative. \$\endgroup\$
    – Kyle Willey
    Mar 15, 2012 at 22:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ @KyleWilley I disagree. I recommend re-reading "Bouts of Madness" (p.58, TOR Loremaster's Book). But you don't even need the Shadow. There's plenty of valid opportunities for such conflicts to arise (due to great role -playing), and I don't think such a case would indicate that something is horribly broken at all. (Just try to imagine how The Hobbit would've ended if the orcs & co. didn't show up, etc.) \$\endgroup\$
    – OpaCitiZen
    Mar 15, 2012 at 23:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ @OpaCitiZen That particular character was shadow-mad (and thus an NPC) already at the start of that encounter. \$\endgroup\$
    – aramis
    Mar 16, 2012 at 11:16

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The only times PVP is thematically justified in TOR are when one is under the effects of shadow... in which case, the other one should be the "PC".

However, if you wanted to make it more fair, here are a couple options

  • have each pick a range, make an awareness task, and the winner sets the range & counts as the PC.
  • Have each pick a range, and the closer of the two is the range used; the closer one also is the "PC" for the round.
  • abandon ranges; all TN's to hit become an opposed roll, with the target using agility.

In any case, whomever started the interparty strife should gain a shadow point if they weren't already under the effects of shadow.

For non-PC's, the PC's ALWAYS make all the combat choices. Even if you write up a particular NPC per the PC rules (which is a violation of the letter of the rules itself, but not a major one; see pg. 24 of the LM Book), the PC's pick their stances, the NPCs don't get them, can't use abilities related to them, and die on the first wound, as normal.

Endurance
The Endurance rating of a Loremaster character is really needed only when an encounter degenerates into an armed confrontation. Loremaster characters involved in combat are treated as adversaries, and are knocked out at the end of a round if they are reduced to zero Endurance, or are killed outright when wounded once. The usual rules for Encumbrance do not apply to Loremaster characters, and they are equipped as the Loremaster sees fit considering their occupation and the circumstances of the encounter.
TOR Loremaster's Book p. 27

Edit: May 2014

As an alternate thought, one could use an a modification of the stance system. Both players pick their stance, and their actions are limited by it, but the TN used is based upon a combination.

A  B> F   O   D   R
F     3   6   9  12  Forward
O     6   9  12  12  Open
D     9  12  15  12  Defensive
R    12  12  12  12  Rearward

This is based upon 3+A+B, where A&B both use F=0, O=+3, D=+6, and missile fire always uses 12. It makes the presumption that NPC's are always open, as a baseline.

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  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Okay, maybe the question focused too much on PvP. In fact I should've worded it to ask how combat is handled when two characters built with the rules for building PCs engage. For example, a group of grim Beornings force a team of Dwarves into a fight? This may very well happen with or without the Shadow on both/either side, imo. (I'll add this as an edit to the Q.) \$\endgroup\$
    – OpaCitiZen
    Mar 16, 2012 at 7:53
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    \$\begingroup\$ You run the NPCs as NPCs, not as characters. Period. It's in the GM book. \$\endgroup\$
    – aramis
    Mar 16, 2012 at 11:07
  • \$\begingroup\$ Guess I'll have to re-read this section, thoroughly. Thanks. :) \$\endgroup\$
    – OpaCitiZen
    Mar 16, 2012 at 11:28

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